Major Jewish Organization Urges Sweden to Outlaw Neo-Nazi Group That Blocked Entrance to Holocaust Exhibit

A Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR) march in Sweden, May 1, 2019. Photo: Screenshot.

A major Jewish group has renewed its call on the Swedish government to outlaw the Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR), a neo-Nazi group that on Tuesday blocked the entrance to a Holocaust exhibit in the city of Visby.

“The Nordic Resistance Movement is a dangerous organization which has absolutely no place in civilized society, let alone politics,” the World Jewish Congress (WJC) said.

This week’s “despicable demonstration,” the WJC added, was “just the latest” in the group’s “extensive track record of aggressive public actions, further underscoring the fact that its sole mission is to terrorize, and to callously eliminate ethnic and religious minorities from Sweden’s diverse national fabric.”

“At a time of rising antisemitism and violent political extremism, it is imperative that the Swedish government take a firm legal stand against any movement that seeks to undermine its democratic values and constitutional order,” the WJC declared. “We support the previous statements of Swedish PM Stefan Löfven that the government has commenced efforts to strengthen the legal framework in order to ban NMR and violent organizations of its type. This is an absolute requirement to make it clear that the NMR will never be indulged as a legitimate political force. Now is the time for rapid and determined action on behalf of the government, using all measures necessary, to ensure that this threat against Swedish society ceases at once.”